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The Bee and the Wasp

The Bee and the Wasp

By James Moody.

There is often confusion between wasps and bees, exacerbated by there being numerous genera and sub-species of each insect.
Despite their numerous similarities, particularly when viewed from a distance (or over one’s shoulder whilst running in the opposite direction), the differences are both numerous and fascinating, as we shall explore below:
The Honey Bee (top photo by Louise)

Appearance:
The restless Honey Bee, the genus most commonly confused with wasps, has the following physical characteristics:
- Long, fat and furry (tent to be fatter than wasps)
- Dangling legs
- Two pairs of wings
- Often predominantly brown in colour, with varying degrees of brown and yellow striation (tend to be less brightly coloured than wasps)

Behaviour:
Honey bees are primarily pollinators, and have symbiotic relationships with the flora with which they share their habitats. With this in mind, it will come as no great surprise that honey bees are far less aggressive than wasps.
Due to being less aggressive than wasps, not to mention the fact that they die soon after using their stinger, honey bees are unlikely to sting unless they are provoked or otherwise made to feel threatened.

Nesting:
Honey bee workers make nests from wax, which they secrete from their abdominal glands. A typical nest is made up of approximately 100,000 individual comb cells.
Honey bees, unlike bumble bees, don't build ground-based nests. You are much more likely to encounter a honey bee hive in a hollow tree or in a rock crevice.

The Wasp (Common) (bottom photo by Tracy)
Appearance:
Common wasps have the following physical characteristics:
- Long, thin and shiny (tent to be thinner than bees)
- Dangling legs
- Two pairs of wings
- Often predominantly yellow in colour, with varying degrees of brown and yellow striation (tend to be more brightly coloured than bees)

Behaviour:
Common wasps are social hunters living in colonies containing workers, queens, and males (drones). Given their predatory nature, wasps tend to be more aggressive than bees. As wasps are able to sting repeatedly, they are far more likely than bees to do so, if provoked.
The diet of the adult common wasp consists primarily of fruits, flower nectar, and tree sap. Larvae feed on proteins derived from insects, meats, and fish, which are collected by the adults.

Nesting:
Vespula wasp species, such as the common wasp, build concealed nests, usually underground, and nests can frequently be found at floor level in gardens and fields.
Common wasp nests have multiple tunnel entrances, which can be highly active.